Game apparatus



(No Model.)

B. W. TAYLOR.

GAME APPARATUS Patented Nov. 3, 1896.

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UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WALLER TAYLOR, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,779, dated November 3, 1896.

Application filed January 27, 1896. Serial No. 576,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN WALLER TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in,the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus; and it has for its general object to provide a cheap, simple, and easilyoperated game apparatus which is adapted to tell fortunes and is also adapted for use as a game of chance, and one which is calculated, when used for eitherpurpose, to afiord amusement to a large number of persons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aplan view, partly broken away, of my improved game apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of the same.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates the stationary body of my improved game apparatus, which may be formed of papier-mach, sheet metal, wood, or other material suitable to the purpose, as desired. This body A is preferably of a general circular form, as illustrated, and it comprises the circular or annular portion B and the centrallyarranged pedestal or base 0, upon which the rotary disk D is mounted, as will be presently described. The annular portion B of the body is provided at its outer upper corner with a wall or flange E to prevent the balls (presently described) from rolling or being thrown off the apparatus, and said annular portion B also has its upper side F inclined downwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, so-as to en able the balls,when thrown onto said inclined side F without entering one of the pockets G with which the portion B is provided, to roll back onto the rotary disk, to be again thrown onto the stationary circular or annular portion.

The pockets G, of which there are prefer= ably five, (more or less,) are disposed vertically, and are of about the proportional depth illustrated, so as to receive but two of the balls at a time. Said pockets communicate at their lower ends with lateral, passages H, and these passages, which extend to the outer side of the circular portion B, as shown, are designed to be normally occupied by removable stoppers I, as illustrated, whereby it will be seen that when a game is finished the balls may be readily removed from the pockets.

The base or pedestal C may be connected with the annular portion B and supported in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to mount the base or pedestal upon the bottom wall I, which extends upwardly and inwardly from the outer lower corner of the annular portion B, which is desirable since it insures the apparatus resting firmly when placed upon a table or other support. Said base or pedestal O is rabbeted, as indicated by a, and is surrounded by a wall I), as shown, to form a circular race or wayc for ball or cone bear ings J, which are designed to support the rotary disk D, as shown.

The rotary disk is loosely mounted upon a central bolt K, connected to the base or pedestal and is interposed between a washer L on said bolt and the antifriction-balls J, 'so that it will rest flush with the upper side of the annular portion B and may beeasily turned by a person grasping its handle M.

\Vhen my improved apparatus is to be used to tell fortunes, about eleven balls N, numbered from 1 to 11, are employed, five being designed to personate ladies and the other six, which are preferably of a contrasting color to the first-named five, being designed to personate gentlemen.

In practice the ladies and gentlemen Whose fortunes are to be told each select a ball, and a record is kept in some suitable manner of the person whom each ball personates. This being done, the balls are placed upon the disk D, which may be provided with eleven shallow depressions (not illustrated) to receive the balls, as shown in Fig. 1, and said disk is rapidly rotated until all but one of the balls are deposited in the pockets G. When this has been accomplished, the balls are taken from each pocket G in succession by remov ing the stoppers I. If two balls bearing numbers representing a lady and gentlemen, respectively, are desposited in the same pocket, they will be considered as having met their fate. If two bearing numbers representing two gentlemen get into the same pocket they will be declared old bachelors, while, on the 'other hand, if two bearing numbers representing two ladies are deposited in the same pocket they will be declared old maids. As before stated, each pocket G is adapted to receive but twoballs. In consequence of this, when all the pockets are filledone ball will remain on the disk D. If this remaining ball represents a gentleman, he will be declared a woman-hater, while if it represents a lady she will be declared a man-hater. As will be readily appreciated, my improved apparatus, while very simple and easily operated, will afford pleasure not only to the eleven persons who are in the game, but tothe entire party gathered about the table or other support on which the apparatus is placed.

Many other amusing games may be played with my improved apparatus with a greater or less number of balls. For instance, a game of chance can be played with the apparatus and but a single ball by making two of the pockets blank and numbering the other three 1, 2, am: 3, respectively. lVhen so equipped, the apparatus is suited for use'in cigar-stores and similar places, and the game is played by a person who pays, say, ten cents for each chance. If the ball thrown outwardly by the rotation of the disk D enters one of the pockets marked blank, the player gets nothing, but if it enters one of the other pockets the player gets a number of cigars corresponding to the number of said pocket.

\Vhen desired, objects other than balls may be used in lieu of the same.

I have in some respects specifically described the'con struction andrelative arrangement of the parts of my improved apparatus in order to impart a full and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such construction and arrangement, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

hen desirable, four of the pocketsmay be numbered 1 and one may be numbered 2, so that a person who pays, say, ten cents for a chance will'always get one cigar, no matter in which pocket the ball is deposited, and in wardly and inwardly, a rotatable disk mounted Within the annular portion and resting in the same plane as the inner edgeof the upper side thereof, and a ball or plurality of balls,

substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described game apparatus, comprising a stationary annular portion having one or morepockets in its upper side and also having said upper side inclined downwardly and inwardly and further having the upwardly-extending wall or flange and the outwardly-extending passages communicating with the pocketsand adapted to receive stoppers, a rotatable disk mounted within the annular portion and resting in the same plane as the inner edge of the upper side thereof, and a ball or plurality of balls, substantially as specified. V

3. The herein-described game apparatus comprising a stationary annular portion ha'ving one or more pockets in its upper side, a base or pedestal arranged within and connected with the annular-portion and having a circular race or way at its upper side, antifriction-balls arranged in said race or way, and a rotary disk mounted on a post or bolt rising from the'pedestal or base and bearing on the antifriction balls and adapted to throw a ball or balls onto the annular portion, substantially as specified.

4. A game apparatus comprising a frame having its top inclined inwardly and provided with one or more pockets and also having a central, circular opening therein, a rotatable-disk arranged in said openingand disposed horizontally and in the plane of the upper edge of the opening, and a ball or balls, whereby the balls whirled by the disk may be discharged into the holes of the'frame or allowed to return to the disk, substantially as specified;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two'witnesses.

BENJAMIN \VALLER TAYLOR.

\Vitnesses:

PHILIP F. GRILL, D. C. GIVENS. 

